Fossil fuels are non-renewable energy sources which are rapidly depleting. The combustion of fuel manufactured from crude oil creates large quantities of greenhouse gases. With increasing concerns of climate change due to greenhouse gases, there is a need to reduce the amount of air pollution caused by the combustion of fuels and by industrial manufacturing processes. Due to the limited number of oil reserves, it is necessary to transport large quantities of oil from the oil reserves to the consuming areas, often over great distances. The transportation of oil in this way inevitably increases the problem of pollution.
In an attempt to reduce fossil fuel use and eliminate pollution caused by the burning of such fuels, there is an increasing need for sustainable energy sources. Processes for producing synthetic fuels using carbon dioxide and hydrogen are well established. However, obtaining carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere is not only expensive but is also problematic in that the extraction process creates even yet more pollution.